MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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I never used to get hayfever, started getting it a few years ago but only early in summer with the tree pollen, by May it was all over and even then it was just an itchy nose and a bit of sneezing, no real issue.
This week, however, for the first time ever I'm properly suffering - itchy and inflamed nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, headache - WTF has happened? Has the dry summer caused some plants to delay their pollen release now that we've had some rain? Anyone else suffering at the moment?
Something like that. I get hayfever every year but was totally fine through the heatwave (though other people were suffering). Now we've had some rain it's started for me.
I assume it's allergies to different kinds of pollen.
I'm quite a bad sufferer and this year has been pretty different with the heat.
As a rule for me though, I find the rain makes it worse and I flare up in evenings when it cools rather than the day when it's hot. Don't know why - that's just how it seems to be.
This year it's been great. No real hayfever until the last couple of weeks once the temp has dropped off.
Medication typically doesn't work for me, but things that I have found helpful are:
- Cycling. In years where I've ridden lots and been fit, I've suffered less. I've put it down to either becoming acclimatised to the pollen by riding all year round, or the increased lung capacity making it less noticeable.
- Otrivine Sinusitis Spray. The last few weeks have been bad for me, and the pharmacist recommended this to shift some congestion. It's amazing. Quick spray and 30s later it's like I've got new nostrils!
When did trees start producing pollen? Or what is tree pollen? I don't recall seeing flowers on oak, elm, Pine, etc, so I'm genuinely confused by tree pollen.
If someone comes along and tells me trees have flowers then I'll go do research and then go visit more of the world as I can think of any.
Cherry blossom - is that a flower? Have I just answered my own questions?
Of course trees produce pollen, massive clouds of it at very specific moments. Haven't you been watching your Planet Earth documentaries?
And yes cherry blossom is the blossom of the cherry tree.